Fans of the EVIL DEAD team will finally be able to complete their disc collections, as the gang’s heretofore hard-to-find black comedy CRIMEWAVE is coming home this spring. We got a couple of exclusive bits of info of what will be coming with it, along with the cover art.

Shout! Factory releases CRIMEWAVE in a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack May 14. The first film by director Sam Raimi and producers Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell, who also has a supporting role as “Renaldo the Heel,” following THE EVIL DEAD, it’s the bizarre story (scripted by Raimi, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen) of a security guard (Reed Birney) framed for murder, who flashes back to his story while sitting in the electric chair. The real killers are a couple of exterminators (Brion James and Paul L. Smith) who double as hitmen, who set out to eliminate the man who hired them and his wife (Louise Lasser). The discs will present the movie in anamorphic 1.78:1 widescreen, with Dolby Digital sound on the DVD and DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray. Fango got the scoop that special features will include audio commentary by Campbell, plus new interviews with Campbell and others involved with the film; retail price is $26.99, and you can pre-order it here. Look for a retrospective article on CRIMEWAVE with Campbell and Tapert’s comments in Fango #322, on sale next month, along with a vintage interview with co-star James.

I really hope Campbell's commentary will be a brutally honest one. For years Sam, Rob, and Bruce have had nothing positive to say about this movie. Bruce really does show his feelings about it in his book and offers a lot of insight into how a studio can wreck a movie. Of course, all of his commentaries are great.

I just saw on imdb that Crimewave was distributed by Columbia Pictures (now Sony). Does this mean anything in terms of potential Shout Sony acquisitions or was Crimewave one of those messy rights situations where Columbia/Sony just had a temporary deal? Just curious.

I just saw on imdb that Crimewave was distributed by Columbia Pictures (now Sony). Does this mean anything in terms of potential Shout Sony acquisitions or was Crimewave one of those messy rights situations where Columbia/Sony just had a temporary deal? Just curious.

If I remember correctly, Crimewave was produced by Empire Pictures. Shout! got alot of their movies. Sony may have been the distributor, but Empire put up the money and held the rights until they went belly up.

I liked this since i was a kid and i had it on video for years on a blank tape, it never had a DVD release but i'm glad Shout has done a deal with Sony for this title and giving us the proper treatment on DVD and even better blu-ray.

They did a nice job with the picture and sound with fine extras too, kudos to Shout Factory the greatest independent company ever.

Ordered this. It's a blind buy. I know Sam and Bruce aren't too fond of it. But I love Raimi's films, so I had to buy it to collect my Raimi collection. I hear this movie is quite insane lol. Can't wait to hear Bruce Campbell's audio commentary

I think it's a really entertaining movie. Parts of it drag, but there's a lot of fun comedy in it. Bruce's disliking of it seems to lie in its multi-genre nature and the poor reception based on that, stating it doesn't work, but that's honestly what makes the movie so good and I don't think Bruce should be backing down from that just because it flopped.

"I can't forgive myself for having lied to you. I don't have a degree in biology. Never even finished high school. I haven't read more than two books in my whole life. One, never finished. And the other is the phone book."

I think it's a really entertaining movie. Parts of it drag, but there's a lot of fun comedy in it. Bruce's disliking of it seems to lie in its multi-genre nature and the poor reception based on that, stating it doesn't work, but that's honestly what makes the movie so good and I don't think Bruce should be backing down from that just because it flopped.

Bruce stated in his autobiography that it was hell working on this movie especially with the actors that were hired. Plus a huge mess with the studio demanding changes and eventually recutting the movie. I still enjoy Crimewave for what it is and am a huge fan of director Sam Raimi.